Elizabeth Banks On Her Favorite Hunger Games Ensemble, Her Real-Life Beauty Routine, and Why She's Directing Pitch Perfect 2

Elizabeth Banks never fails to stun in the designer numbers she picks for the red carpet, but out of all the couture gowns she's worn, the butterfly dress she wore in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire stands out as one of her most-memorable style moments. "It was a piece of art, and I will never forget my day in that dress. It had structured hips, a high neck, had three-dimensional butterflies all over it, and there were actual butterflies flying around -- it was incredible!" Banks, who has partnered with Listerine for their 21-Day Challenge campaign, tells us. "I wasn't allowed to walk, sit, eat, or do anything in that dress other than stand." Moving around presented some issues, but the costume designers dressed the star in a spandex bodysuit to wear underneath the dress so she could get into it just before filming the scene to prevent a wardrobe malfunction. "It went on dead-last in front of a crowd of about 300 background actors. They all got to see a show of Elizabeth Banks standing around in a weird spandex bodysuit, which I wore underneath the dress so I could get in and out modestly in front of a lot of people," she adds.

In real life, Banks' personal sartorial picks veer more toward Miri Linky than Effie Trinket, and are decidedly more understated. "I really loved Miri Linky's style in Zack and Miri Make a Porno. She is just a low-maintenance wake-up-and-go girl, and I'm kind of like that," she tells us. "She does get excited when she gets to dress up for a night out, and I do too. I'll do my makeup for an hour if I have the time!" Luckily, her beauty routine has been streamlined with all the tips she has picked up from hairstylists and makeup artists during filming. "I've learned all my hair and makeup tricks on the set, and I incorporate all kinds of things when I'm getting ready, and I'm big on blotting papers," says Banks. "I get a very shiny forehead, which I like to call my inner glow coming out." There's no doubt that she'll take some of those tips (and probably pick up a few more!) when she heads to the set of Pitch Perfect 2! This time, the star is stepping behind the camera to make her directorial debut. "I really wanted to make a comedy, and I'm thrilled it's about a group of women," she says. "The core of the story is about sisterhood and friendship, and I don't think there are enough movies like that out there -- and certainly not enough great roles for women, but with Pitch Perfect, I have the opportunity to play with some really funny ladies."

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"The core of the story is about sisterhood and friendship, and I don't think there are enough movies like that." - @ElizabethBanks

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